Pin some blame on city planners

“What Was Supersized May One Day Be Downsized” [Dec. 31] is critical of people who buy large houses. In 1978, we -- husband, wife and two children -- wanted to find a house with three bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a full bathroom and a three-quarter bathroom. We couldn’t.

We ended up with a bigger house with two complete bathrooms and a “living room” that’s used at Christmas time as a place to put the tree. We, as do our neighbors, spend most of our time in the family room.

Local planning commissions and city councils approve the designs for larger houses despite all of the worthwhile arguments against them. Gellner should also direct his criticisms at the aforementioned civic bodies.

ALBERT V. WEAVER

Newbury Park